Fauna Forever

Birds, Feathers & Hidden Science at Kuzikus While the bat survey unfolds over the next ten days, Kuzikus is currently also supporting a detailed bird survey — including the incredibly important, yet hugely understudied, topic of moulting. Moulting is a major event in a bird’s life cycle, but collecting reliable data on it requires true scientific skill: long hours from sunrise to midday, carefully examining each feather of every bird caught. It’s meticulous, patient work — and we are incredibly grateful for the expertise of the @faunaforever team and their experienced volunteers. For the first time ever, moulting data is being collected on Kuzikus. 📝🪶 And our guests get a front‑row seat to insights they would rarely encounter anywhere else on holiday. This is Kuzikus at its best: Ecotourism, Education & Research …working hand in hand for the purpose of conservation. Let’s uncover the stories of the savanna together. Moulting is the natural, essential process where birds shed old, damaged feathers and grow new ones to ensure efficient flight, insulation, and, often, to update breeding plumage. This energy-intensive process usually occurs once or twice a year, frequently after breeding season, and can last several weeks. During this time, birds may appear ragged, hide, and require high-protein diets to support feather regrowth. #birding #kuzikus #conservation #namibia #moulting

Uncovering Hidden Stories of the Wild Fauna Forever is currently conducting a baseline study on birds, bats, and small mammals — and I’m honestly blown away by the passion and dedication of the researchers and volunteers behind it. These people are the true heartbeat of conservation. They work quietly, tirelessly, and far too often without the praise they deserve. Yet they are the ones who uncover nature’s hidden stories — stories that shape the conservation decisions of tomorrow. I’m deeply grateful for their collaboration with Kuzikus, and excited that we can support this important work in every way we can. Last night’s bat catch and data-release mission revealed a world that has always been there… just hidden in the dark. The ecological importance of bats is staggering — and seeing their gentle, curious nature up close made me appreciate them on a whole new level. I can’t wait to learn more, to listen more, and to continue discovering the secrets these passionate researchers help bring to light. If you want to dive deeper into nature’s unseen stories, come visit Kuzikus. There’s so much waiting to be discovered — and even more to be understood.#kuzikuswildlifereserve #kuzikus #kalahari #conservation #bat

2026 is going to be an amazing year, and we want you to join us! Fauna Forever will be exploring new countries, while also continuing our important work in Peru. It kicks off in January with our first research expedition to Namibia, Jan 5 to Feb 5. We will be focusing on birds, bats and small mammals, while also exploring new research projects for future trips. Then in February, we head back to the Darién Province in Panama Feb 15 to Mar 25. All vertebrate teams will be active there, with birds, herps, bats and mammals. And while all of this is happening, our important work in Peru continues. We have intensive research periods with volunteer opportunities from Feb 1 to Mar 30, Jun 1 to Aug 30 and Oct q to Dec 15 It’s going to be an amazing year, and we can’t wait to have you join us! For more information visit , send us an email at [email protected] or DM us here on Instagram. See you in the new year!

The biggest tree frog in the Peruvian Amazon is Phyllomedusa bicolor! Females can reach a body length of almost 15cm! Typically they are heard before they are seen as their call is one or the loudest here. When in the Amazon try to listen if you hear a loud and hollow “BOK brrrrr….” and you might get lucky to find one of these chunky and fascinating frogs! 🎥 Thanks to our volunteers here at Fauna Forever helping us film this frog - filming is a multiple person job when you got a lot of equipment to carry and hold ;) #foggylens #foggylensproductions #documentary #documentaryfilmmaking #wildlife #wildlifephotography #herpetology #reptiles #amphibians #snake #frog #lachesismuta #amazonrainforest #biodiversity #rainforest #research #conservation #sonyalpha

We are starting 2026 strong! The Fauna Forever team are looking for volunteers with a passion for wildlife research and conservation to join our expeditions early next year. We will be undertaking research expeditions in: 🇳🇦 Nambia - January 2026 🇵🇪 Peru - February to March 2026 🇵🇦 Panama - February to March 2026 These expeditions provide volunteers with fantastic opportunities to develop fieldwork skills across various groups of fauna whilst contributing to vital research to support conservation efforts. Spaces are already filling up complete the application form on our website (link in bio) or send us a DM here! #conservation #wildlifevolunteer #fieldwork #volunteerwithus

We are delighted to share the publication of the paper; “Tree Cover and Habitat Type Mediate Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Anuran Diversity in Southeastern Peru”. This project was led by I Chou, in collaboration with from @WildernessInternational Peru board member @marialauratolmos , our founder Dr. Chris Kirkby and our Head Research Coordinator @chrisketola . What were the key findings? 🐸 Floodplain forests supported higher overall frog diversity compared to terra firme forests. 🌳 However, within terra firme forests, loss of canopy cover had a significant negative impact on frog diversity, suggesting that forest structure and quality is important for sustaining a biodiverse anuran population, in particular within terra firms forests. 🪵Forest degradation (e.g., logging, fragmentation) was linked with lower phylogenetic diversity overall, hinting that human disturbance may preferentially remove evolutionary distinct lineages, not just common species. This research highlights the critical role of environmental factors in shaping both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of anurans. Preserving floodplain forests and maintaining high tree cover in terra firme forests are essential for sustaining anuran diversity. The negative effects of forest degradation and road proximity underscore the need to mitigate human disturbances and protect primary forest. This must be taken into account when formulating conservation strategies to safeguard anurans from climate change and human-induced disturbances. Congratulations to the research team on publishing this important data. We extend our thanks to @aider_peru and the @sernanp and @studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes who made this work possible. Finally, we acknowledge the invaluable contribution of the Herpetofauna Research Team at Fauna Forever and the dedicated volunteers for their efforts in data collection over the past 20 years! This publication underscores the value of large scale, long-term monitoring projects and we’re excited to see how this work contributes to better understanding and protecting Amazon-anuran diversity. If you’d like to read the full paper head to the link in our bio. 📸 @luke.pembroke

After having had this song stuck in my head day and night for the last few days, I thought I would dedicate this to our last shooting with superstar Phyllomedusa camba, the black eyed monkey frog. And man do they love sittim! The entire family of Phyllomedusidae one of the easiest to capture on our nightly transects since their defense mechanism is basically just - sittim. That’s it. So it’s easy for us to capture them with little stress and quickly take the data we need from them. #foggylens #foggylensproductions #documentary #documentaryfilmmaking #wildlife #wildlifephotography #herpetology #reptiles #amphibians #snake #frog #amazonrainforest #biodiversity #rainforest #research #conservation #sonyalpha #sittim #sittingistheoppositeofstanding

“I learned more in just a few weeks than I otherwise would have over months back home and I got to know some of the loveliest, craziest and warmest animal nerds out there... If you are passionate about nature and want to get a feel for what it means to do field research - do it, it’s absolutely worth it!” Jan Runge, one of our 2024 interns who joined us from Germany in Peru and Uganda reflects on his experiences participating in our research expeditions (and outrunning buffalo!) 🏃🐃 🐃 🐃 Check out his top 5 reasons why you should consider joining one of our research expeditions! Link in bio 🔗 . . . . #conservation #wildliferesearch #internshipopportunity #PeruvianAmazon #Uganda #Kidepo

Deep in the Peruvian Amazon, where narrow quebradas weave through the forest, there be dragons… Unlike its larger cousins of the open rivers, the more cryptic smooth-fronted caiman favours the shadows. Amongst the undergrowth and small, shaded streams where overhanging branches blur the boundary between water and forest is where this little dragon thrives. With eyes adapted to the gloom and patience its greatest weapon, the smooth-fronted caiman lies in wait. Adorned with jagged scutes and hardened scales it blends seamlessly with the rocks and roots of its hidden world. Unwavering and resilient, it embodies a lineage older than the jungle itself, unchanged for millions of years, waiting in the stillness of the water as time flows quietly past. . 📸 @sonyalpha  a7iii 🔎 @tamronamericas  28-75mm Di III G1 ⚡️ @godox_global  V860II . . . . #paleosuchustrigonatus #sonywildlife #sonywildlifephotographer #natgeoyourshot #bbcwildlifepotd #withmytamron #caiman #crocodilians

CONVOCATORIA TERMINADA🚩 🌿✨ ¡Buenas noticias! Hemos extendido la convocatoria de nuestras becas de investigación y conservación en la selva de Madre de Dios 🎓🐾 Ahora tienes hasta el 25 de agosto para postular y vivir una experiencia transformadora en el corazón de la Amazonía: 🔬 Colabora con investigadores en campo 🌍 Contribuye a la conservación y educación ambiental 📚 Aprende en una de las regiones más biodiversas del planeta 💡 ¿Qué incluye la beca? ✔️ Alojamiento en nuestra estación de investigación ✔️ Alimentación completa durante tu estadía (El transporte hacia la estación corre por cuenta del becario) 💡 ¿Quiénes pueden postular? No necesitas tener una carrera específica. Aunque es ideal si vienes de biología, ecología o áreas afines, lo más importante es tu perfil, motivación y compromiso con la conservación. 🌱 📩 Para postular: envía tu CV y un video (1-3 min en inglés) a [email protected] contándonos por qué quieres participar. 🚀 ¡No dejes pasar esta oportunidad única! La selva te espera 🌿💚 #Conservación #Investigación #BecasPerú #MadredeDios #FaunaForever #WildernessInternational #Becas #beca #educaciónambiental #wiperú #conservacion

Are you interested in joining us in Peru, Panama or Namibia? If so, the good news is we are taking applications for volunteers for all of our upcoming research expeditions occurring in 2025 and 2026! We have a very exciting schedule coming up: •Peru Ongoing until August 30th •Panama (Darien Gap) September 5th to September 19th •Peru October 1st to December 15th •Namibia January 2nd to February 10th •Panama (Darien Gap) February 15th to March 25th •Peru February 1st to March 30th •Peru June 1st to August 30th *all 2026 dates subject to change Check the links in my profile for more information about our programs, and if you’re interested in joining us send us an email at: [email protected] or send me a DM here in instagram and I’ll be happy to provide more details!

🌿 New Round of Scholarships for Peruvians in Research & Conservation! 🌿 You love nature and have a heart for research and conservation? Then we’re looking for YOU to join Fauna Forever’s next Research Expedition in the rainforests of Madre de Dios! 🎓🔬 ⚠️ We are offering 3 scholarships, with a length of one month each. They are going to take place during our next research period from October to December. Dates are somewhat flexible to suit your availability. ⚠️ Applications are now open and will be accepted until mid-August! Apply as soon as possible to secure your spot. Don’t miss this chance to contribute to conservation science while exploring the incredible biodiversity of the Peruvian rainforest! 🌍🐾 To apply, send an application along with your CV and a video (1-3 minutes) in English to [email protected]. Tell us why you’re interested and what you hope to gain from this incredible experience. 🔍 Specific Prerequisites: - Strong intrinsic interest in research & conservation - Suitable field of study (e.g. biology, botany, etc.). - Basic English skills to communicate in everyday life 🌟 Next Steps: The selected scholars will proceed to online interviews 4 weeks prior to the expedition. 🌎 What’s in it for you? Scholars will have the opportunity to work with researchers in the heart of the Amazon. The scholarship includes food and accommodation on site, so you only have to take care of your own travel. Your mission: To contribute to research and environmental education! 📚✨ We would appreciate if you share your experience with the public through various media such as blog entries, reports, or videos. 📸📲 🚀 Apply now - Don’t miss this chance to make a meaningful impact on research and conservation! 🌏💚 🇵🇪 You want to get all the information in spanish? Go follow @wildernessinternational_peru ✨ #WildernessInternational #ConservationScholarship #FaunaForever #ResearchExpedition #PeruviansInConservation #ApplyNow